Young girls and women have worn clothing layers under skirts and dresses for centuries. Health and modesty are the primary reasons for doing so. Underwear actually dates to the 15th century, and the evolution of underwear, as far as women are concerned, has included shifts, petticoats, knickers, pantaloons and bloomers. Original designs were open between the legs, until closed crotch designs were introduced in the early 19th century. In addition to general health and modesty, closed crotch under layers also helped contain menstruation.
Girls and young women today are widely advised by the medical community to wear, at a minimum, underwear with a cotton crotch for better health and hygiene. Cotton is a natural fiber, as such, it is good with respect to the absorption of moisture while, at the same time, it provides good ventilation. Nevertheless, cotton can only hold so much moisture (approximately 7% by weight) and once saturated, it is uncomfortable and unhealthy.
Synthetic athletic shorts and leggings, with and without compression, are highly popular apparel choices for leisure activities as well as athletics. These garments are typically manufactured without cotton crotches and are usually worn with a pair of underwear. However, anyone that has done this knows that underwear worn underneath synthetic athletic shorts is bulky and, therefore, generally uncomfortable. Additionally, wearing underwear underneath synthetic athletic shorts involves two individual and independent garments that are not attached to each other. The underwear thus has a tendency to shift out of place (typically riding up ones buttocks), causing further discomfort and potential chafing. Finally, wearing underwear underneath synthetic athletic shorts results in undesirable panty lines that are visible through the shorts. Choosing not to wear underwear with a synthetic short, pant or legging, especially if it includes spandex/compression, is unhealthy, and can lead to yeast infections, urinary tract infections and unpleasant odor.
In contrast, synthetic shapewear typically incorporates a seamed, sewn-in cotton crotch. Although a sewn-in cotton crotch would eliminate the discomfort associated with the shifting of underwear relative to the synthetic outerwear, a sewn-in cotton crotch does nothing to eliminate undesirable and unsightly panty lines. Moreover, cotton shapewear is still somewhat bulky, the seams themselves can dig into the skin of the person wearing the shapewear, and the cotton often undesirably “sticks” to any outerwear worn over the shapewear. Moreover, sewn-in cotton crotches cover but a small area of the shapewear, offering only a small level of breathability. Consequently, sewn-in cotton crotches do not eliminate the problems otherwise associated with wearing underwear underneath synthetic clothing, such as synthetic athletic shorts and synthetic shapewear. An example of shapewear with seamed, sewn-in crotch can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,892.
Tumbleshorts are presently popular among young girls and pre-teens. Tumbleshorts are meant to be worn over underwear and underneath skirts and dresses. While the tumbleshorts help to preserve modesty, they are separate and independent garments, and thus result in an additional layer of clothing while eliminating none of the above-identified causes of discomfort.
Accordingly, athletic shorts and/or shapewear that are all-cotton, all-synthetic or synthetic with seamed, sewn-in cotton crotches are the only choices presently on the market. While women and girls today deserve garments that are healthy, comfortable and stylish, none of the current market choices for active wear, including athletic shorts and shapewear, or underwear exhibit all the health, comfort and style benefits into one garment.